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I wanted to celebrate my first anniversary of my new life a.k.a the lifestyle change that I chose to have moving forward, and I thought of commemorating it by getting inked.

Choosing The Design.

Truth is, there are a lot of designs that you can find online, but I told myself that I want something that has a personal meaning to me. After all, this tattoo will serve as a daily reminder that the choices that I’ll make should not harm me & bring back habits.

Weeks of research and I came down with 7 possible designs (all Latin phrases) and after days of consideration, I chose the final 2.

Choosing The Artist.

Search word used: best tattoo artists in Singapore

While Inkvasion Tattoo was not on the first page of the search result, their profile caught my attention and I followed my instinct to book an appointment. I contacted them thru WhatsApp and they were friendly & accommodating with my questions & concerns. 🙂

Preparations & Tips.

The basic rules are:

1. Don’t consume any alcohol, caffeine-infused drink and/or medication that can thin out the blood 24 hours before you get a tattoo.

If you’re on medication, it’s very important that you research accordingly. Some maintenance drugs are blood thinners, and there are OTC meds like aspirin is also known as a blood thinner.

2. Get enough sleep so you are well-rested.

3. On the day of your appointment, eat a proper meal, prepare some sugary drink to keep your blood sugar elevated (in my case I got a bottle ofwarm water with honey)

4. Wear comfortable clothes and consider the fact that you can’t have something tight on the part where you will have the tattoo.

Too much comfort, yeah?

5. Try to relax & trust the artist. If at times, you may feel the bite of the needle, try to breathe in & breathe out in 2 counts. Yes, meditation helps! If it’s too much, inhale for 3-5 counts and exhale slowly. 😉

Nervous? No! Hah!

DAY AT THE INKVASION STUDIO

What to expect.

Upon arrival, Glenn (the artist) showed me the selection of fonts to use because I haven’t decided yet. When we chat over WhatsApp, I told him that I trust his expertise on how it will be placed on my forearm and inner arm, plus the font to be used. As long as it’s readable & prominent.

After I chose the font, he prepared the stencils & after checking every word (to be sure that we got the correct words) He applied an adhesive-like substance on my arms & applied the stencils. After pressing it for a few seconds, he slowly lifted them and waited for the surface to dry a bit. Then we proceeded to the main act.

vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas = vanity is vanity. all is vanity

fortis in arduis = strong in difficulties

Our session (from preparation to finishing touches) was only an hour long.

With Inkvasion Tattoo Studio owner & artist, Glenn Tan

Pain Level? Bleeding?

If I were to describe the pain, it’s similar to a paper cut or that of a blade cut, only that when we’re accidentally cut, we don’t know we’re cut until we wash our hands or hold something that touches the cut. But with a tattoo, you’re very conscious that your skin is being pricked, multiple times. So think of a needle that’s being poked on your skin, but in a fast motion. If you have a high pain tolerance,you should be okay. 🙂

Pain level from 1-10, 10 being the most painful, I say it’s between 6-7. Honestly, the one on the forearm was short but it was more painful than the other.

Thankfully, I had no bleeding. I only had, like tiny spots (one or two) and it was gone after 2 wipes of the antibacterial product that they use after your tattoo has been completed.

Post-Tattoo Care Tips.

I was advised that the these will be completely healed in 4 weeks.

Unfortunately, I can’t do any weights, yoga, pilates or any physical exercise that can stretch the skin, especially while healing (at least 1 week.) Sweat should be avoided, for hygienic purposes, so the challenge now is to find a workaround for that.

Scabs should be left alone. It should peel off by itself and if it gets itchy, I can apply a moisturiser on the skin.

OVERALL

It was a different kind of experience that I’ll never forget. The Inkvasion Tattoo Studio is very clean, well-sanitized & not overwhelming.

The service? Great! My tattoo artist was kind, accommodating & he listens to his client’s requests and concerns. I did not experience any inconvenience during the entire process and for a first-timer like myself, it’s very important. The atmosphere was casual & friendly.

Price:

The studio’s charge are either per piece or per session (for larger ones) but their minimum charge is 100 SGD.

Tattoos are charged either by the piece or per session. Large pieces that cannot be completed within a day will be charged by session. Unlike some other studios, we charge foreigners & locals the same price.

Contact us or come in for a consultation to find out. We don’t mind giving quotes online or through whatsapp, however please understand that it’s most accurate to get quotes in person. All quotes not done in person are estimates and we reserve the right to change them if necessary. The more tattoo you get & the nicer you are to us, the more discount will be given!

– Inkvasion Tattoo Studio

Extra Tips.

1. Be on time and be sure to familiarise yourself with the location.

This was an honest mistake on my part, but also not an excuse. The studio’s address was at Far East Shopping Centre and I assumed that it was the same with Far East Plaza Mall. Everything was actually on their website but I failed to check on that. So we ended up a few minutes late because we had to walk back & find the correct location.

2. Ask permission for photos & videos.

As a courtesy, always request for permission first. Besides, most of them are okay with it.

There goes my first tattoo experience and I’ll update you in the next coming weeks. 😀